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Title 38 — Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73

§8102 Acquisition of medical facilities

Title 38 › Part PART VI— - ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY › Chapter CHAPTER 81— - ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF HOSPITAL AND DOMICILIARY FACILITIES; PROCUREMENT AND SUPPLY; ENHANCED-USE LEASES OF REAL PROPERTY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - ACQUISITION AND OPERATION OF MEDICAL FACILITIES › § 8102

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must provide hospitals, nursing homes, domiciliary care, and other medical facilities for veterans who qualify for care under this law. New construction, major changes, or purchases of medical facilities must follow the rules in this part. When building or buying facilities, the Secretary must place them fairly around the United States and give priority where the need is greater. The Secretary must also consider good architecture and design. For projects expected to cost more than $2,000,000 (except exchanges), the Secretary must consider sharing health-care resources with the Department of Defense under section 8111 as an alternative.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §8102

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary shall provide medical facilities for veterans entitled to hospital, nursing home, or domiciliary care or medical services under this title.
(b)No medical facility may be constructed or otherwise acquired or altered except in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter.
(c)In carrying out this subchapter, the Secretary—
(1)shall provide for the construction and acquisition of medical facilities in a manner that results in the equitable distribution of such facilities throughout the United States, taking into consideration the comparative urgency of the need for the services to be provided in the case of each particular facility; and
(2)shall give due consideration to excellence of architecture and design.
(d)In considering the need for any project for the construction, alteration, or acquisition (other than by exchange) of a medical facility which is expected to involve a total expenditure of more than $2,000,000, the Secretary shall give consideration to the sharing of health-care resources with the Department of Defense under section 8111 of this title as an alternative to all or part of such project.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(b)(1), renumbered section 5002 of this title as this section. Subsecs. (a), (c). Pub. L. 102–83 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–83 substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–54 amended subsec. (d) as in effect immediately before the enactment of Pub. L. 102–40 by substituting “section 5011” for “section 5001”. Pub. L. 102–40, § 402(d)(1), amended subsec. (d), as amended by Pub. L. 102–54, by substituting “8111” for “5011”. See above. 1986—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–576 added subsec. (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1979, but not applicable with respect to the acquisition,

Construction

, or alteration of any medical facilities if the acquisition,

Construction

, or alteration (not including exchange) was approved by the President before Oct. 1, 1979, see section 302 of Pub. L. 96–22, set out as a note under section 8101 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 8102

Title 38 — Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73